20140708

Travel to Turkey 8: Caravansary

 main gate

< 1. main gate

I introduce the ruins of the caravansary today.

今日は、キャラバンサライ(隊商宿)の遺跡を紹介します。


 central tower in the courtyard surrounded by a castle wall

< 2.  central tower in the courtyard surrounded by a castle wall 

The building is in SultanHan located between Konya and Cappadocia.
Such caravansary was built in Anatolia plentifully from about the tenth century.
The caravansary was built in the trade route every approximately 40km.
In those days, the merchants put all loads on horse or donkey, etc., formed a party, and traded between distant places.
In order to encourage trade and to protect the merchants’ party from robbers or thefts, the dynasty made the caravansary like fort and placed security force.
Furthermore, offering of a meal and taking care of the animals were performed to the sojourner for nothing.

この場所はコンヤとカッパドキアの中間に位置するスルタンハイにあります。
このようなキャラバンサライはアナトリアに10世紀頃から数多く建てられた。
キャラバンサライは交易ルートに、約40km毎に建てられた隊商宿です。
当時、商人は馬やロバなどに荷物を乗せ、隊を組んで遠方交易を行った。
王朝は交易を奨励するため、商隊を賊や盗難から保護するために、要塞のような隊商宿を作り警護者を置いた。
さらに滞在者には食事の提供や使役動物の世話を無料で行った。


Upper fig.: inside of main gate.  Lower fig.:  entrance of room.

< 3.  Upper fig.: inside of main gate.  Lower fig.:  entrance of room.>


a view from roof of the central tower

< 4.  a view from roof of the central tower 

The history of this trade route is even older.
The trade route via here linked the Central Asia from the Aegean Sea (close to Ephesus) about the third century B.C. and would have conveyed Hellenism culture.
Furthermore, King Darius of Persia built the highway that reached the Aegean Sea (close to Ephesus) from Iran (Susa) in the 5th century B.C. (this route are a little different from it).
This was able to travel through 2,700 km in seven days.

この交易ルートの歴史はさらに古い。
ここを通る交易ルートは紀元前3世紀以降には、エーゲ海(エフェソス近郊)から中央アジアを結び、ヘレニズム文化を伝えたことだろう。
さらにペルシャのダレイオス王が前5世紀に、イラン(スーサ)からエーゲ海(エフェソス近郊)に至る幹線道路を建設した(少しルートは異なる)。
これは当時、最も長距離で完成された駅伝制のルートで、2700kmを7日間で旅をすることが出来た。


 a corridor of courtyard, and old farm implements  

< 5.  a corridor of courtyard, and old farm implements > 

I seem to hear the neigh of animals and the chat of suntanned merchants of ancient times.
The goods in trade from Rome and Greece might have arrived to China through here, and furthermore to Japan.

遙か昔の日に焼けた商人達の談笑や馬のいななきが聞こえてくるようです。
ローマやギリシャからの交易品が、ここを通って中国、果ては日本の正倉院に届いたのかもしれません。


beautiful pattern, skillful skylight

< 6.  beautiful pattern, skillful skylight  >


frontal view 

< 7.  frontal view >

a souvenir shop

< 8.  a souvenir shop    >


mountains covered with snow, agriculture scenery in the dry field 

< 9.  mountains covered with snow, agriculture scenery in the dry field >

Unlike the ruins of a royal palace, although there was not a feeling of gorgeousness, I felt the breath of the merchants who got on in the world.
One pleasure of this trip was over.

宮殿の遺跡と違い華やかさを偲ばせるものはないが、世界を股にかけた商人達の息吹を感じることが出来た。
今回の旅行の楽しみを一つが終わった。





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